Key cutter



Oct. 27, 1936.

R. w. PIGMAN 2,058,719

' KEY GUTTER Filed DeO. 4,V 1934 Patented ct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-Ice 2,058,719 KEY CUTTER Clyde R. Vance Application December 4, 1934, Serial No. 755,899

3 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a key cutter of veryY simple, durable and inexpensive construction, particularly adapted for cutting keys of the kind now generally in` use for automobile locks. i

More particularly, it is my object to provide such a key cutter of the die punch type having parts and accessories so constructed andadapted for association as to permit the quick and easy cutting of a great variety of keys.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my key cutter, whereby the objects contemplate are attained, as hereinafter more fully set Iorth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: v

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a key cutter embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view through the same. v

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional-view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4is a top or plan view of one of'the removable key clamps of the kind usedin my key cutter.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the spring employed in connection with the clamps.

, Figure 6 illustrates a slightly different type of my key clamp.

Figure y'7 is a detailed, sectional view taken on the line I-I of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a top or plan View of parts of the device with a key blank installed therein, parts being broken away.

In the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference numeral Ill to indicate generally a base of my cutter, which may be cast, die-cast or otherwise suitably formed.

At lthe rear of the base is an upright post II, having in its llower forward` part va transverse recess I2. At the upper part of the postY I I, it has the spaced parallel ears I3. Between the ears I3 is received one end of an operating handle I4, which is pivotally mounted on a rod or pintle or the like I5, extended through the ears I3. In the upper part of the post II between the ears I3 is an upwardly opening recess I6 at the lower end of which is a hole Il extending to the recess I 2.`

A die member I8 is fastened to the base I0 at the bottom of the recess I2 and is provided with a hole I9 which registers with a hole 2li in the base.

The punch type cutting die 2| has a shank'22 projecting upwardly through the hole I'I Vand provided at its upper end with a head 23. In the head 23 is a vertical slot 24 into which projects a pin 25 mounted in the post II in such manner as to properly guide the cutting die in its up and down movement.

In the recess I6 is a coil spring 26 received on the shank 22 between the bottom of the recess I6 and the head 23 for normally, yieldingly holding the cutting die in its raised position and for returning it to raised position after it has been depressed by the operation of the cam'2'I on the handle I4, and the handle has` been raised.

The cutting die 2i and the hole I9 are shaped to out V-shaped notches in key blanks.

In the upper face of the base 2II is a transverse recessed slideway 28. A transversely elongated slot 29 extends through the base I from the bottom of the slideway 28. A clamp supporting block 3l) is mounted in the slideway 28- for transverse sliding movement. It projects above the slideway and has at its rear part an upstanding flange 3 I. A shank 32 is mounted in the block 30 and has at its upper end a countersunk head 33, and supports at its lower end a block 34, which slides in the slot 29 and projects below the slot.

A rod is journaled in the Walls of the base I Il and has on one end the knurled head 36. The rod 35 is threaded at the other end as at 3l to receive a nut 38. The base Ill has the projecting lugs 39 and Iii to provide longer bearings for the rod 35.

The central part of the rod 35 is also threaded and is extended through a threaded hole II in theA block 31%.

It will thus be seenv that by rotating the knurled head 36 and the rod 35, the clamp holding block 3l) can be moved transversely on the base III. v

The block 35 is provided forwardly of the flange 3l with a fore-and-aft'slideway 42 for the key clamp now to be described.

I have shown in Figures 4 and 6, two slightly different key clamps, having the respective lower clamp members i3 and GII. Each of these lower clamp members 43--44 has on its under side a ltransverse relatively wide groove or recess ,55. Each also has in its upper face near its rear edge a transverse groove G6. Each also has at its side l edges laterally projecting flanges 4l arranged at such a height that when such lower clamp memvber is placed in the slideway 42, it may be held against vertical movement therein,l but in such a way as to permit its sliding movement in the following manner:

Screwed into the top of the block 30 on opposite sides of the slideway 42 are the screws 48, having half of their heads removed, as illustrated in Figures l and 3, so that the flat or mutilated side may be turned toward the slideway 42 for permitting the insertion of the lower clamp member 43 or 44 and thereupon the screws 48 may be driven a half turn to cause the unmutilated part of their heads to overhang the flanges 41 for holding the lower clamp member in place.

'I'he lower clamp member 43 has in the upper part of its front edge a transverse rabbet 49 for the key blank. Just rearwardly of the rabbet 49, it has in its upper face a spring socket 50 to receive a coil spring 5I pressing upwardly against the upper clamp member hereinafter described.

The lower clamp member 44 has in its upper face at its forward edge a rabbet 52, which has at its forward edge an upstanding rib 53 to fit certain kinds of key blanks.

There is provided for coacting with the lower clamp members 43-44 the upper clamp members 54 and 55. Each of these has at its rear part a transverse, downwardly projecting rib 56 (Figure 2) to fit into the groove 46a. The upper clamp member 54 has at its forward edge a downwardly projecting transverse rib 51 to t against a key blank, and the upper clamp member 55 has at its forward edge a downwardly projecting transverse rib 58 to fit against a key blank (Fig. '1).

A clamping screw 60 extends through the clamp members 43 and 54 or through the members 44 and 55 as the case may be for clamping them together. The lower end of this screw is threaded and is countersunk in the block 43 andthe upper end receives a nut 6|, having a handle 62. The spring 5I tends to spread the clamp members apart when the nut 6I is loosened.

A sleeve 63 has a reduced forward end 64 sweated or otherwise fixed in the flange 3l (see Figures l and 2) and is provided with the graduations and indicating characters shown at 65.

A rod 66 is threaded in the screw 63 and has on its outer end the head 61 provided with the tubular barrel or flange 68, telescoping the sleeve 63. The barrel 68 has the graduations and indicating characters 69, as shown in Figure 1, arranged to coact in the operation of the device with the graduations and indicating characters 65.

By rotating the head 68 and thus turning the screw-threaded rod 66, the barrel 68 may be adjusted as desired on the sleeve 63 according to the graduations on these two members.

The parts are so arranged that when the adjustment just made reaches a certain point, the clamp members will have been forced to a certain position by the threaded rod 66, which bears against the rear face of the lower clamp member. The lower clamp member is yieldingly pressed rearwardly against the threaded rod 66 by means of a spring 10 shown in Figure 5 by itself. One end 10a of this substantially U- shaped spring is received in a hole 1l in the block 30, shown in Figure 3 in dotted lines, and the other arm of the spring bears against the rear wall of the recess 42 in the bottom of the lower clamp member as best shown perhaps in Figure 2.

Thus the threaded rod 66 may be retracted until the lower clamp member bears against the flange 3l for starting, and then by turning the head 61 clockwise, the post 66 will be moved forwardly. The graduations mentioned determine the degree of such forward movement for cutting a slot of the desired depth in a key blank.

In the upper face of the base Ill is a groove 12 extending part way across the base and adapted to receive selectively any one of the gauge bars 13.

A latch member 14 is pivoted as at 15 to the base and is adapted to swing to position to grip and hold any particular gauge bar 13, which may be in the groove 12.

The gauge bars may be provided with graduations and indicating characters such as those shown thereon for purposes of illustration to adapt the gauge bars for different kinds of keys and key blanks.

Secured to the block 30 is a rearwardly projecting pointer finger 16 adapted to coact with the graduations on the gauge bars for facilitating the lateral adjustmentof the clamp holding block 36 for determining the place in the key blank "l where a notch is to be cut.

The clamp 43--54 is for a key that has notches in one side and the clamp 44-55 is for keys having notches in both sides.

It will, of course, be obvious that other clamps may be provided by means of very slight modications in structure for a great variety of the blanks.

In Figures 4 and 6, I have shown illustrations of the two kinds of key blanks mentioned indicated by the numerals 11 and 11a. Most key blanks have at the back a shoulder 18. In Figure 8, I have shown a key blank 19. having no such shoulder, but having at the front a shoulder 80.

Pivotally mounted on the post Il is a bar 8l adapted to be swung from an out of the way position extending upwardly and rearwardly or to be lowered forwardly and downwardly to position shown by dotted lines in Figure l, where its notched end 8la is intended to cooperate with the shoulder in the manner illustrated in Figure 8.

I will now explain the manner in which my key cutter operates.

Assume that it is desired to cut a certain key blank, such as the blank 16 in Figure 4, with a certain number of notches in the front edge. It is, of course, known that these notches are cut according to standard measurements at prescribed distances from the line of the shoulder 18. The various locations and combinations may be determined by code books.

Let us say for illustration that the key is of a kind which requires two notches a certain distance apart. The operator selects the proper gauge bar 13 and slips it into the notch 12 and grips it in place by means of the latch member 14. He then puts one of the clamp devices 43-54 in the slideway 42 of the block 30 and turns the y Ll O The operator then rotates the head 36 for moving the block 30 laterally until the pointer 16 registers with the proper indicating character on the gauge bar 13, whereupon the block 30 will be so located laterally with relation to the die that the notch will be cut at the proper point in the length of the key blank edge.

'I'he depth of the notch to be cut is determined by the fore-and-aft adjustment of the clamp members which is accomplished by means of the threaded rod 66 and the graduations 69 and 65 in accordance with the code book.

The operator adjusts his clamp forwardly until the key blank is properly located and then grasps the handle I4 and lowers the cutting die and cuts the notch. l

The operator then lifts the handle I4 and the spring 26 will raise the cutting die, whereupon the head 36 is again operated to move the pointer 'I6 to the proper point with relation to the gauge bar 'I3 for thus adjusting the clamp block and with it the key blank to proper position for cutting the next notch.

The notches having been out, the operator turns the knurled head 61 to return the clamp to its rearmost position to leave it in condition for starting the next operation, loosens the nut 6I and removes the finished key.

It will be seen that by selecting the proper gauge bar, the notches may be placed as desired.

If a key with notches in both edges is to be made, the operator uses the clamps 44-55 which properly grip the kind of blank used for making such keys. These blanks have grooves to receive the rib 53.

If the operator has to use one of those key blanks having only the shoulder 3l), he adjusts the block 30 to a predetermined position, such as with the pointer I6 registering with the graduation la and then swings the arm 8l from its full line position in Figure l to its dotted line position. Then inserting the key in the clamp, he brings the shoulder 86 snugly against the bar 8|, which then serves as a stop and clamps it in place. The bar 8l is then swung out of the way, whereupon he can proceed with key cutting operations as hereinbefore described.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a key cutter which can be used to cut a great variety of keys by making a few simple modied parts-for instance by making the proper number of gauge bars and a few slightly modified clamps, a vast number of different kinds of keys can be cut. For instance, it will be observed that in cutting a key with notches in both edges, the key blank is inserted from one side as shown in full lines in Figure 6 for cutting the notches on one side, and then is inserted from the opposite side of the clamp, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 6 for cutting the notches in the other side. The use of both sets ofgraduations 65 and 69 makes it possible to get a very ne adjustment for cutting the notches to the proper depths.

The die members can be very easily removed and replaced. The die member I8 may be held in place by means of screws extended therethrough and into the base. Locating pins Illa are provided for properly locating the die member I8 relative to the base.

Changes may be made in the cutter and the product still be within the scope of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified form of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope and within the purview of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A key holding and positioning device for a key cutter, including a base, a block laterally slidable on the base, a notch spacing gauge detachably mounted on the base and having indicia for indicating the position of the block for cutting a notch at a given point in a given key blank, screwthreaded means for laterally sliding said block to position it relative to said indicia, a clamp member detachably supported on the block for sliding adjustment thereon, adjustable screw-actuated gauge means on the block for adjusting the clamp member to position for cutting a notch of the desired depth, a second clamp member for coaction with said rst clamp member and detachable therewith from said block and adjustable means for locking the clamp members for gripping a key blank.

2. A key holding and positioning device for a key cutter` having a base including a block laterally slidable on the base. provided with a rear upstanding flange and with a slideway in front of the ilange, a clamp member slidably received in the slideway, a second clamp member, means for adjustably moving the clamp members to key blank gripping position, screw-threaded means carried by the block .for slidably adjusting the clamp members thereon, means for indicating both the longitudinal movement and parts of one revolution of said last means, and a stop shoulder on said means for holding a key blank with which a shoulder on said key blank may engage for positioning said key blank relative to said means.

3. A key holding and positioning device for a key cutter having a base including a block laterally slidable on said base and provided with a slideway arranged at substantially right angles to the direction of movement of the block laterally on the base, a clamp member slidably received in said slideway, a second clamp member, means for adjustably moving the clamp members to vkey blank gripping position, screw threaded means carried by said block for slidably adjusting said clamp members relative thereto and means for indicating both the longitudinal movement and parts of one revolution of said screw threaded means.

REED W. PIGMAN. 

